Stormy She Was
by Sonic Jules
Summary: 10.Rose....Following the Doctor's point of view from 'Stormy She Is' ....... Our beloved Time Lord deals with Rose's fever and guilt from her nightmares. 2nd in a series of three stand alone stories. Hope you enjoy..........


Stormy She Was

**By Sonic Jules**

(Who owns nothing Doctor Who and intends no harm in the borrowing of their characters.)

**A/N: **Okay, this story was written because of the wonderful suggestion by Catharticone, who wanted to see the Doctor's point of view from the first story, "Stormy She Is". Her idea simply could not be ignored and my brain responded, so here it is. Without her, this part of the "Stormy" series would have never been. She also graciously volunteered her services as beta - she is truly amazing.

_(The __'Stormy' series can be read separately or in order. This is the second of the series, with a third and last part coming soon.)_

_**Day One:**_

The Doctor remembered watching Rose's face as the storm blew over the Powell Estate - her features clearly telling her awe and admiration of the forces of nature. He enjoyed watching storms himself, but not quite as much as he enjoyed watching her. Sometimes it was like watching everything anew from her clear expressions of awe and wonder.

When Rose had asked to go somewhere where there were storms like the one they'd just watched, he couldn't refuse her. He set in the coordinates for Lanaria, knowing that the time he was taking them back to would bring her a show of colorful bright lightning and roaring thunder that would impress her so much she'd never forget it. Had he known the outcome of their trip, it would have never been.

And that's what brought him here. Now he was sitting in the Infirmary of the TARDIS, watching as Rose shivered and mumbled - the antibiotics he'd given her progressing slower than he wanted against her fever. It was a feeling of helplessness, and it was cruel - it was - being able to do so much at other times and yet so very, very little when he'd wanted to the most.

All he had wanted to do was please her. The TARDIS landed on Lanaria and as he looked at the monitor, he could see that the storms were at their peak - the show on the little screen drawing a smile on his face. And Rose had noticed it.

"What're you grinning at?" she'd asked him, her smile growing to the size of his.

The Doctor came around to where she was standing opposite him at the console and held his hand out to her. Still smiling, Rose joined her hand in his. The Doctor had started walking but stopped suddenly, bringing Rose to an abrupt stop as well.

"Rose? You feeling all right?" he asked gently.

"Yeah - why?" she replied with her own question.

He lifted the hand he held to his face, placing the back of it against his cheek for a moment. "You feel warm."

"My hand was in my pocket. Now come on - I want to see what's got you grinning like a Cheshire cat!" She looked pointedly at him then pulled him forward. He couldn't help but get caught up in her enthusiasm. Thinking back now, he had been an idiot letting her get away with that.

Hand in hand, they'd walked to the front of the TARDIS. The Doctor released her hand and opened the doors dramatically and Rose gasped. He remembered looking at her instead of the lightning and rain that came down so close to them. Her reaction was by far ten times better than the show going on outside. The TARDIS had landed on a cliff, giving them the view of an entire valley below over which the storm was stationary.

Rose looked up at him and met his gaze - her face like that of a child in a candy store. "This is amazing!" she exclaimed, her eyes leaving his to look back at the storm.

The Doctor finally allowed himself a look. It really was magnificent, and even though the TARDIS had a protective shield around the doors, you could still smell the cleansing odor of the rain. He inhaled deeply and stood in silence beside the one person in the whole universe for whom this show existed.

He smiled when he felt her hand grab his as they continued watching the storm, then he frowned slightly. He knew for a fact that her hand had not been in her pocket this time. And the air was chilly. So why was her hand so warm?

As if sensing his thoughts, Rose removed her hand from his, brushing the hair from her eyes as the TARDIS allowed the winds to breeze through now and then. His ship was wonderful - so much so that she amazed him every day. Letting his thoughts wander, the Doctor admired the scene before him. The lightning was striking in different hues of vibrant colors as the storm continued on. Eternal storm. It was in itself its own entity.

The loud bang behind him brought him out of his study of the storm and its intensity. After all, the noise of the storm was coming from outside his ship, and this noise was from the interior. The Doctor turned quickly and immediately noticed Rose wasn't at his side. Letting his eyes scan the ship, he suddenly looked down, finding Rose lying on the ground. She'd fallen straight backwards, and she'd be lucky if she didn't have a concussion from the fall alone.

"Rose!" The Doctor bent down to her - she was pale as a ghost and he couldn't see her chest rise and fall with breath. Immediately he dropped to his knees and lay his head over her chest. Her heart was beating a bit rapidly, which in itself was a relief, but the heat he felt radiating from her set off all sorts of alarms within him.

"Rose!" He practically yelled in her face, willing her to respond to him. He placed his palm on her forehead and drew it back quickly. "Blimey, Rose! You're burning up!" He spoke harshly as if she'd react to his words. She did not. Gathering her up in his arms, he ran for the corridor, shouting "Doors!" to the TARDIS in his wake.

In retrospect, he wished he'd not been so daft. Daft was a mild word to use, actually, because in his mind, he had really been absolutely and positively stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

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They'd just left a primary planet in the Dameron solar system called Denby, where they'd been chased and captured and tortured - if you called being forced to clean out stables with hordes of Derringers - their version of horses with a nasty, vulturist twist - torture, and yes, the Doctor considered it to be just that.

Finally making their escape from the farm, they'd run back to the TARDIS and left the planet immediately, after being on the go nonstop for twelve hours. But instead of resting up and taking a breath, literally, they headed straight for Jackie's so that Rose could have a nice break, visiting her Mum. She'd asked for it. Never pushed the issue, because she knew he wouldn't forget. And he hadn't. She needed the break, and so did he for that matter if he were to be perfectly honest with himself. Just before they arrived on Powell Estate, each of them had taken the time to enjoy a much needed shower and fresh, clean clothes and seemed re-energized and ready to go. And go they did, without thought for a little rest.

Jackie had insisted on fixing them a home cooked meal, but she had a neighbor she was taking care of - an elderly woman who's daughter was out of town and needed checking up on a few times a day. Jackie also needed groceries for the dinner she was planning, as, once again, she'd had no warning that her daughter and her friend would be coming. She simply couldn't take care of the neighbor _and_ go to the store, so Rose volunteered herself and the Doctor to go shopping.

They walked through a crowded little market and there were plenty of people coughing and hacking - he could remember each and every one of them as he thought about it. Rose's immune system had to have been down quite a bit from her lack of rest he was sure, but they'd trudged on regardless. Yes, he was truly a stupid little git.

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Standing in the Infirmary, the Doctor watched over Rose as she lay where he'd placed her unaware body on a gurney. The good news was that she at least didn't have a concussion; the bad news was that he didn't know what was wrong with her.

As if on cue, the Doctor was distracted from his thoughts when he heard a 'ding', and turned towards the counter, finding that his tests were complete. Putting his glasses on, he ran a hand across the monitor, reading as the results came into view. The flu. Common Earthbound Influenza. He was glad he'd trusted his instincts and had started the antibiotics. It seemed a common Earthly ailment and an undernourished immune system made for a nasty bout of the virus. He'd given her intravenous fluids anyway, and had felt antibiotics were a natural progression in what should be administered. So, it had been a good call then.

Taking off his glasses and gently putting them back in his pocket, the Doctor sat in a chair across from the gurney, his focus solely on Rose. He stared at her, wondering at the energy she normally had. She seemed to have an endless supply sometimes, being able to harness some hidden reserves from the depths of her being, and there were a few occasions he recalled that he'd felt old around her. It wasn't often, but there were times when he simply envied her that. It was part of their perfect balance though, wasn't it? One of them would be energetic and bouncing on their heels; the other would absorb that energy and keep going. Not this time though. Not this time.

The Doctor closed his eyes and rested, letting a light sleep take him into worried dreams about Rose Tyler and the guilt he felt for her getting ill. It was some time later when he woke up from the slight respite of his own exhaustion.

Standing up and stretching ever-so-slightly, the Doctor stood beside the gurney and leaned over Rose, watching her. He rested his hand on her forehead and frowned when he realized her fever had not come down. She hadn't stirred while he was asleep either, and he found himself hoping that her human body was simply healing himself. But it never was that simple, he thought dryly. Pulling out his pocket watch, he realized that she'd been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours.

Drawing more blood from her in hopes that at least her white cell count had gone down, he set the new tests into motion and sat back down in the chair. He stared at Rose for the longest time, his brows furrowed with worry and his feelings of helplessness far from being resolved.

_**Day Two:**_

The Doctor's body shook as he awakened, having that feeling of falling without the dream to show where he was landing. He was a little ticked at himself, having fallen asleep like that, but then let that thought go. After all, he'd be the first one to tell anyone else that they should rest whenever the body craved it, human or not. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he looked around for a moment before letting his gaze fall upon Rose.

He inhaled deeply, letting his breath out slowly as he sighed. Standing up, he took a couple of steps and looked down at her, lying there on the gurney. Checking her temperature with the palm of his hand, he was dismayed to find that her fever still hadn't diminished. Her face was flushed from the fever, and she was dreaming - he could tell from the rapid eye movement beneath her lids. He only hoped her dreams were good ones, since her body was going through so much unpleasantness.

The Doctor was distracted at the 'ding' that called his attention - the second of tests he'd run on Rose being complete. After putting his glasses on again, he touched the monitor and read the latest results. Her white cell count had only dropped minimally. Typing a few words into the keypad below the monitor, the Doctor then reached into a drawer beneath the countertop and pulled out a pressure hypo. Being noninvasive, it was his preferred choice. He held it up to inspect with his own eyes before turning around and administering its contents into Rose's upper arm. Stronger antibiotics. She needed them, obviously.

But, he thought as he removed his glasses, if they'd just stayed put on the TARDIS and she'd rested up a bit, maybe she wouldn't have been so susceptible to that flu strain to begin with. Something in the back of his mind told him he'd had no way of knowing this would happen. And certainly he couldn't keep her in a bubble, protected forever. But none of it was making him feel any less responsible. The Doctor was still very angry - angry at himself and his oblivion when it came to Rose. In fact, if it hadn't been for the moan which came from her, he might easily have broken his glasses in two. He was beside her in a second, the glasses thrown on the counter and the anger forgotten, if only temporarily.

"I'm right here Rose, can you hear me? It's all right. I'm here," he said gently as he rubbed a hand up and down her arm. Her eyes flickered open, and the first thing he noticed was how glassy they appeared to be. She was looking around anxiously until she saw him and relaxed a little. Then it looked to him as if she'd just remembered something, and she suddenly seemed frightened and sad.

"Rose, you all right?" he asked, feeling the pulse of her wrist quicken beneath his fingertips.

"You're gonna leave me for her, aren't you?" Rose asked, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked away from him.

"Rose, I'm not leaving you for anyone," he said gently, brushing away the first tear that slid down the side of her cheek.

"It's okay. I mean, she's beautiful, and charming ... An' I'm none of it. I get it. You an' Sarah Jane go back a long ways. I'll be okay," she said as her eyes closed, a slight whimper coming from her as she began drifting back into sleep. "Please don't leave me Doctor ... please don't leave," she whispered her distress as she apparently went back into the dream.

The Doctor looked at her, his eyes so sad from the pain she was in. Is that how she'd felt - thinking back then that he was going to just leave her behind and whisk off with Sarah Jane? He leaned over towards the left side of her face. "I'd never leave you for anyone, Rose. You belong with me, and I with you. Rest. I'll be here. I promise," he whispered in her ear, hoping she'd lose the dream that was obviously causing her pain. Mental distress was the last thing her weary body needed.

Rose seemed to calm a little, but her eyelids still fluttered, and he hoped that she was now dreaming of something else. This wasn't good for her. And hell, maybe he wasn't good for her - if this was what her subconscious dredged up when she was ill.

Pulling his chair up closer to her, he held her hand, feeling the blood flowing beneath his fingers, and vowed to himself to make things right for her. All she had to do was get better and he'd do the rest.

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The Doctor didn't know how much time had passed but his mind had apparently been wandering, lost in thoughts of Rose Tyler when he heard her slight whimper. Instantly alert and on his feet, he stood over her, feeling her forehead as he gently called her name.

Rose opened her eyes to the sound of his voice and she looked at him, her face registering no emotion.

"Rose?" Are you in pain?" he asked, but she simply stared at him. "Rose?"

"I'm so alone," she answered.

"No, you're not. I'm here. You'll never be alone as long as it's within my power, Rose Tyler. Do you understand me?"

"You left me!" Her voice was so clear and her gaze so focused that the Doctor actually backed away slightly before regaining his composure.

"I didn't leave you Rose," he stated calmly. "I'm right here. With you."

"No," she stated simply. Even in her dazed state her eyes looked full of anger.

"No?"

"No. You went to Reinette. You knew you couldn't come back, and ... You. Left. Me." Her eyes teared up and yet she still held his gaze, and he saw her anger and disappointment with him for abandoning her.

"I came back," he stated simply, grabbing her hand into his, holding their joined hands up for her to see. "I'm with you now."

She looked away, trying to control the tears. "Oh God, you left me. You left everything for Reinette. Everything. You left _me_," her voice faded off and the Doctor stood in silence, trying to reign in his instant heartache at the sound of her voice. When he saw that her eyes were closed again he suddenly felt choked up, never admitting to himself what his actions had done to her that day. He was quickly overcome with guilt, so much so that he actually felt his hearts constrict.

He stood still for a moment, trying to compose himself before uttering another word. Leaning forward with the hope that she could hear him in her sleep, the Doctor's voice cracked with emotion as he talked to her. "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so very, very sorry. I never wanted to hurt you," he said, then leaned in closer to brush a chaste kiss over her cheek. He sighed deeply and sat back down, holding her hand within his own.

She was either dreaming or hallucinating or both, and all her underlying fears were coming back to haunt her when she was down, adding to her stress. He wanted to comfort her and yet, he realized, he was the cause of her pain. He stared at her as his mind relived all the discomfort he had caused her. Stupid. That's all he could think of himself right now. Stupid and arrogant and uncaring of anyone else's feelings but his own. In his mind, he proclaimed himself a selfish bastard.

_**Day Three:**_

Having moved Rose from the gurney and placing her in one of the infirmary's beds a few hours ago, the Doctor stood and ran a hand through his tousled hair, wondering what to do next. He needed to do something - doing nothing was driving him batty. He'd been sitting for quite a while, admonishing himself with his own form of self-deprecation for who knew how long, and his body needed to move. He placed the back of his hand on Rose's cheek, then her forehead, realizing this had sadly become his latest habit. Making sure that the blankets were tucked in around her and that she was as comfortable as he could make her, the Doctor walked out of the Infirmary, intent on taking the TARDIS into the Void before grabbing a few things for Rose.

The Doctor returned and immediately walked up to her, the bundle that he'd gone for still in his hands. She'd been thrashing around in her sleep a bit; he could tell from the untucked blankets and slight change of her body's position. Checking her temperature again with his hand against her forehead, he frowned, noting her temperature had risen slightly. He'd be keeping a very careful eye on her, all right. If her fever was going to spike then he was going to have to take action, whether it meant ice baths or medication not quite intended for her human form or both. He didn't care. All that mattered was Rose getting well again, no matter what he had to do to make it happen.

Walking around her bed, he went to the opposite wall where a sink and a few cabinets stood in striking white, sterile and blinding. Setting the items he'd brought for her beside the sink, he checked them over, hoping they would be all right for when she awoke. He'd felt a little self-conscious going through her things, but he wanted to make her as comfortable as possible when she woke up. He needed her to feel how much he cared for her with these simple offerings: a toothbrush, a pair of pajamas, her favorite terry-cloth robe, and slippers. The toothbrush was neon pink, and he'd caught himself staring at it for a moment before pulling a glass down from the cabinet above the sink and standing the toothbrush inside it. Setting it on the other side of the sink opposite the neatly piled clothes, he turned away and went back to sit beside her. A little quiet time to compose his thoughts, that was what he needed.

The scream that tore from Rose's lips had the Doctor jumping up - the sound so unexpected he'd actually tipped his chair to the floor. By the time he stood straight, Rose was off the bed and standing on the opposite side from him. Her face was flushed and she looked wild - almost crazed as far as he was concerned - especially the way she was staring pointedly at him.

"Rose? What's going on? You all right?" he asked cautiously, his expression tight with concern. But she wasn't seeing that.

"You're not the Doctor. Where is he? What've you done with the Doctor?" Rose half asked, half demanded. Her eyes were darting all around the Infirmary and he thought her look was like that of an animal - trapped and in search of escape.

"Rose, look at me. I _am_ the Doctor. You've got a fever, and I think I'd be right in assuming that you're hallucinating," he spoke his words gently, slowly leaning over the bed. "It's okay Rose, you're okay - I'm here."

She looked at him and he noticed her body shaking. Whether she was shivering because of her fever or shivering with fright or both, he couldn't tell. But when she started backing away from him and he could see the utter fear of him within her eyes, he was lost. "Rose? Look closely at me - you know I'd never hurt you, don't you?"

When her eyes met his, he was sure he was getting through to her. She stared at him for a long moment - really looking at him, then her expression shifted to one of anger.

"There's no moonlight here to sustain you - now back off," she spoke evenly with conviction, though he could still clearly see her trembling.

Moonlight. Moonlight ... what? Was she thinking him a werewolf now? "There's nothing of the wolf about me, Rose. It's me. Just me. The Doctor," he spoke softly. She was shaking so badly that he was worried even more than before. He knew he'd need to do something quickly before her bodily systems began shutting down. "Rose," his voice was pleading, hoping to calm her down without having to resort to sedation.

Rose began looking around frantically, her eyes flickering all over the room as her body backed up further, stopping only when her backside hit the counter.

"Rose." The Doctor's voice was more forceful, demanding her to pay attention to him. "Rose, focus on me. Focus." He walked around the bed, removing the only barrier between himself and her, keeping his progression slow in hopes of not alarming her.

Rose grabbed the toothbrush sitting in the cup beside the sink, holding it as if she had a prized weapon with which to defend herself. "No! You're not the Doctor! Stay away! Stay away from me or I'll rip your hide to shreds!" she yelled, raising the toothbrush at him as if she were holding a scalpel.

"Rose ... You have to trust me - you're delirious - now listen to me! I am me. I _am_ the Doctor." He tried calming her, and for a moment it looked as if he were succeeding. He reached a gentle hand towards her, but she wasn't seeing him. Raising the toothbrush, she aimed it towards his hand, only missing it because of his speedy maneuvering. He took advantage of Rose's attack and grabbed hold of her, restraining her in his arms as she struggled to free herself. He held on tight, his arms wrapped around her as she fought for release. She screamed and kicked and shoved as best she could in his hold, but luckily she was weak, and he was stronger than her.

Rose was screaming as if the Doctor were about to kill her and fighting as much as her weary body would allow, but it didn't take long for him to get the upper hand, and he had to admit that he was actually grateful when she passed out in his hold.

Holding her in his arms, he allowed himself a second to catch his breath, all the while feeling the fever radiating from her skin. Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, he wasn't too surprised to find that her temperature had spiked to a dangerous level.

The TARDIS had seen to his needs immediately, hearing his mumbled words of "ice bath" as he'd lifted Rose and carried her to the closest bathroom. As soon as he'd gotten inside the door he found a bathtub half full of water and ice, and immediately placed Rose in it - clothes and all, setting her in so that her back was supported by the far end of the tub. She was in almost up to her shoulders, and the Doctor dropped to his knees and bent forward, cupping his hands in the frigid mixture and covering her shoulders and neck.

Rose's body began shivering to the point of convulsing and then her eyes suddenly flew open. "Oh G-G-God! W-what are you d-doing t-t-to me?" she exclaimed, her teeth chattering so hard she couldn't form words properly. "Let m-m-me out of h-here!" she demanded as she struggled to climb out, splashing water and pieces of ice all over the Doctor and the area surrounding him.

"Rose!" the Doctor shouted, shocking her enough to momentarily stop her thrashing. He raised his hands to her face and gently but firmly framed it, his index and middle fingers on her temples. She calmed down instantly, staring at the eyes that were staring at her.

"Sleep until I awaken you. You'll feel no pain and you will dream no dreams. You will not awaken until I tell you to. Do you understand?" he asked with a calm, firm tone. Rose gave him a half a nod of comprehension before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her eyelids closed. "Good girl," he said as he eased her back gently into the icy mixture.

"I'm sorry Rose, but I really had no choice," he said with a soothing tone and a comforting touch - and he hadn't, really. Her fever had spiked to a dangerous level, which lead them to Rose in an ice bath and he on his knees beside her, comforting her entranced subconscious. Oh yes indeed - he was no fool, using a little hypno-mumbo-jumbo on her so that she wouldn't awaken until he was done. He was a Time Lord, and he much preferred the idea of explaining it to her after all was said and done, thank you very much.

Keeping a hand on her shoulder to ensure Rose didn't slide down, he pulled his sonic screwdriver out with his other hand then waved it over her. Her temperature had dropped a degree since he'd last taken it. Putting the tool back in his pocket, he sighed heavily and looked at her. Just a minute more and he'd take her out of there.

Getting Rose up and out of the tub was an effort in contortionism as far as the Doctor was concerned. Not the best of angles to pull her from, plus the added weight of sopping wet clothes now clinging to her body made it even more of a challenge. But he managed with only a few little grunts, and whisked her back to the Infirmary, where he was now faced with a dilemma. He couldn't very well leave her in the soaking clothes she was covered by. He needed her dry and warm before he'd bring her around again. And there in lay that dilemma - just how would he explain her change of clothing without her going all human and feeling embarrassed? Nakedness to Queen Victoria was one thing, but him stripping her naked and changing her clothes would not be an amusing matter with her, he was quite sure. Shaking his head, the Doctor got on to the job at hand, hoping she would understand his reasons and know this deed was necessary. Yep. Justification with strictly professional actions.

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She looked much more comfortable in her pajamas, he'd decided, and even more comfortable in her own bed, surrounded by pillows and a warm down comforter he'd gotten from his own bed for her. He knew the warmth of it personally and was sure Rose would appreciate it. Her fever had been down for a full six hours when the Doctor decided her bout with the virus had finally run its course, so he'd taken her to her bedroom. It certainly offered a more homey feeling as opposed to the sterile environment of the Infirmary, and she was going to be weak and achy, so any bit of comfort was sure to be a welcome.

Sitting beside her on the bed, the Doctor raised his right hand to her forehead, taking a deep breath, as if drawing up his courage. He brought his left hand up and positioned his hands on either side of her face, spreading out his fingers. "Rose? You need to wake up now."

Her eyes fluttered open at his command and she looked at him with confusion before a slow grin spread across her face, making him smile. Her eyes were clear and focused, and he was sure he could feel the relief wash over him like a wave coming off of the sea. He let his hands fall down to her shoulders and squeezed them gently.

"Doctor?" she asked, her voice slightly hoarse, no doubt from the screaming she'd been doing when last conscious.

"Right here," he said, brushing an imaginary hair from her forehead, enjoying the feel of her now cooled skin.

She looked around. "I'm thirsty."

"I bet you are," he grinned, reaching to get a glass of water from her bedside table. He slid his left arm under her shoulders to help her sit up just a little, then used his right arm to bring the glass to her lips, helping her drink. "Little sips, Rose. Just drink a little bit at a time or it'll make you sick."

After she'd finished he had her sit up on her own for a moment while he propped a few pillows behind her for support. She lay back against them and made herself comfortable.

The Doctor smiled. "Welcome back."

"Wasn't I in the Infirmary?" she asked, looking around her room in confusion.

So, she was remembering some of it, he supposed. "You've been very sick, Rose Tyler. Three days you and I have been fighting to get you through a raging fever. Well, you've been doing most of the fighting, I've just been standing around, giving you medications and intravenous nutrition."

"Three days?" she asked, her surprise clear.

"Yep."

"And you've been with me?"

"Where else would I be?" he asked as if it were the silliest question he'd ever heard.

"I'm in my pajamas."

"Yes, well, you see," the Doctor tutted a bit, trying to hide the warmth of embarrassment he felt rising to his cheeks. "I had to put you in an ice bath, and I, well ... you need to understand Rose, I couldn't very well have you in those sopping wet clothes, now could I?"

She looked at him for a long moment, and suddenly he understood the term 'squirming' quite personally

"You did it 'cause you had to," she offered, and he nodded his head vigorously in agreement.

"Your fever had spiked and the antibiotics weren't working," he began calmly, "I really had no choice but to put you in that ice bath."

"You must've been pretty scared, huh?" she asked, her tone far from accusing.

"Yes. I was," the Doctor answered truthfully.

"So, did we actually see the storms?" she asked quietly, changing the subject a little, and he knew it was to relieve his uncomfortableness.

"Oh yes, that's when you went unconscious - scared quite a few years off me, as a matter of fact. We were watching the lightning on Lanaria, when you just suddenly went backwards on the TARDIS floor, burning up and unresponsive. Scared the tar out of me, you did."

"What? Did I get struck by lightning?"

"You don't remember?" he asked cautiously, watching as she shook her head from side to side, silently answering 'no'.

He took her hand in his and looked at her seriously. "Do you remember the dreams you've had since you took ill?"

"Not really. Just little bits and pieces. And they're not making any sense to me," she answered quietly.

The Doctor nodded. "Probably for the best," he told her. The memories of what she'd been through were painful enough for him - she didn't need them as well.

She waited a moment, then asked again. "So, no lightning strikin' me down then?"

"Oh no - of course not. We had the TARDIS's shields protecting us."

"So what's been wrong with me then? Am I gonna be okay?"

"You had the flu. Good old Earthbound influenza. Must've picked up the bug when we visited your Mother. A fast-acting virus, I might add. But with a goodly dose of antibiotics and a brilliant Doctor by your side, you had no choice but to recover," the Doctor smiled proudly.

She smiled with him at that. After a moment of companionable silence, she spoke again. "And yet, here I am in my pajamas. And I clearly don't remember putting 'em on to go watch the storms. So did I change my clothes ... or did you do it for me?"

Her tone wasn't accusing, in fact, it was almost teasing, but the Doctor still felt a bit apprehensive in answering her. Honesty was the best policy, so ... "I did it."

"Oh, so getting back at me for the time you regenerated, yeah? Payback an' all that?" Rose smiled.

He looked at her, genuinely perplexed. "You're not angry? Not going to slap me or try stabbing me with your toothbrush?"

"What?" she asked, truly puzzled by his last comment. "Course not. You didn't have a choice," she replied, then raised an eyebrow at him. "Did you?"

"No."

"Thank you," Rose said, finding it more and more difficult to keep her eyes open.

The Doctor stroked her cheek with his fingertips. "No need to thank me," he said softly, noting her drowsiness.

"No, really," Rose began, her words slightly slurred and her eyes barely open. "Thanks for looking out for me an' not leavin' me," she smiled at him, then closed her eyes. "And thanks for not being a werewolf ..." The Doctor grinned.

"No, Rose Tyler," he whispered as he stood, then leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Thank you for not leaving me."

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The End

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Next and final in the series - "Stormy Within", is coming soon.

Please Review.

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